Who cares, all that matters is you have a nice rooster and a hen that lays good. Just because they arnt "show quality" doesn't mean you should exclude them and what's the point in bragging your birds to others?
Who cares, all that matters is you have a nice rooster and a hen that lays good. Just because they arnt "show quality" doesn't mean you should exclude them and what's the point in bragging your birds to others?
I do see your point but hatcheries don't always offer nice roosters, because they don't breed for such. And, I don't show my birds either but I expect that if I buy, say, a Silver Laced Wyandotte - That it look like such. Not a spangled bird, or a mostly black bird, or a bird that hardly weighs 4 lbs, or a bird that isn't nearly as fluffy as a Wyandotte should be. But a well sized, fluffy, round looking bird with at least coloration good enough to call lacing.
Again, I don't show poultry, but if I were to buy something said to be of a certain color and breed, I want it to be of that color and breed. Otherwise what's the point, I coulda just gone to look for mutts from a local guy down the street and he would at least breed them with a decent environment and I'd get hybrid vigor going on.When I bought Wyandottes from McMurray I got severely undersized birds with poor temperament, poor coloration, medium instead of large sized eggs, and worst of all, 3 of 10 of the hens had back deformities when I finally decided to put them down. Now, that's just one experience, I've had better, but just sayin'. You don't have to show poultry to want something that's a decent example of the breed.
Again, I don't show poultry, but if I were to buy something said to be of a certain color and breed, I want it to be of that color and breed. Otherwise what's the point, I coulda just gone to look for mutts from a local guy down the street and he would at least breed them with a decent environment and I'd get hybrid vigor going on.When I bought Wyandottes from McMurray I got severely undersized birds with poor temperament, poor coloration, medium instead of large sized eggs, and worst of all, 3 of 10 of the hens had back deformities when I finally decided to put them down. Now, that's just one experience, I've had better, but just sayin'. You don't have to show poultry to want something that's a decent example of the breed.
I've ordered from Murry McMurray before too (this was atleast fifteen or even twenty years ago. The quailty may be worse by now), and the only roosters I ever got were bantams of various breeds. I really only came across one bantam rooster out of around ten tottal (over time of course) that was mean (a Barred Cochin). I've never got a rooster from them in standard size though. I have no idea other than what I've heard (this is the first place I've heard) what they are like. Thier birds really are only pet quailty but I liked to show mine at the 4-H county fair and did pretty well with that (I know the judge only had hatchery birds to work with though
